Geomineral, Historical and Environmental Park of Sardinia

The Historical and Environmental Geomineral Park of Sardinia is a ministerial entity established in 2001 (DM October 16, 2001), but its roots lie in efforts that began years earlier by scholars and enthusiasts of the region.

It is the first example of its kind in the world and one of the largest and most diverse national parks in Italy. It is unique in the Mediterranean due to its exceptional geological, environmental, and landscape features, enriched by the technical, scientific, and cultural value of Sardinia’s centuries-old mining heritage.

In Sardinia, there are areas with a high density of mining activity that tell a story of approximately 9000 years of underground resource exploitation. The development of mining activities brought significant technological progress, including the creation of new machinery and patents, many of which were the result of the ingenuity and expertise of local technicians. The almost complete cessation of mining activity in Sardinia has left behind a significant legacy of unique universal, historical, and environmental values, documents and archives, infrastructure, machinery, buildings, professional skills, and human values. All of these are embedded within an extraordinary natural context that represents a unique cultural identity to be preserved and transmitted.

Therefore, the Historical and Environmental Geomineral Park of Sardinia serves as a vehicle for universal values and a tool to protect and safeguard the entire material and immaterial heritage linked to geology, mining technical-scientific and engineering heritage, industrial archaeology, and documentary heritage of works, settlements, traditions, knowledge, practices, customs, and human stories related to mining activity. The Park aims to protect and enhance the current realities of different territories, promoting the economy and social and cultural progress of local communities, while ensuring this extensive heritage for future generations.